Micro opera: ‘The Hardest Journey’ composed by Anna Braithwaite, libretto by Kerry Priest
When did you start composing/writing?
I grew up deep in the Kentish countryside, surrounded by fields, with very little by way of entertainment. As a child I used to sit at our out-of-tune piano for hours noodling, composing in my head. After completing my degree in fashion design I started a career as a singer. I always loved creating harmonies and complicated cadenzas. When my first child was fifteen months old (and I was almost forty) I realised a life of touring and gigging was not compatible with family life. I began studying composition at Goldsmiths night school with the wonderful Jeremy Peyton-Jones and became hooked. Once my second child was born, my partner and I decided to move from our tiny flat in Peckham to Folkestone. On arrival here a whole world of creative opportunities opened up and I immediately got my first composition commission for the Folkestone Fringe, I haven’t looked back.
What inspires you as an artist? If you are a composer, what is your earliest memory of music? If you are librettist, what is your earliest memory of poetry/writing?
I would have heard an orchestra for the first time when my mother took me to the ballet (Covent Garden of course) when I was two years old. I have performed in pantomime since I was a similar age. My early theatre experiences have influenced my writing which combines high and low art which I enjoy in equal measure. Whilst in my Moses basket I was surrounded by the music of the 70s folk revival and my parents were keen Czech folk dancers so I love the cimbalom, clarinet and the sound of dancers’ bells. I am inspired by telling peoples’ real life stories to increase understanding and empathy in our society and promote change.
Why did you apply for this project? What intrigued you about the premise?
I am keen to bring opera and the performing arts to the public in unexpected ways so I was excited by the potential to introduce new audiences to opera by holding performances in St Pancras station. My first opera was written about and performed inside a truckers’ cafe on Folkestone Harbour.
What was your approach to your piece ‘The Hardest Journey’?
Kerry and I wanted to explore new perspectives on travel focussing on the experience of neurodivergent women for International Women’s Day. We collected interviews through contacts at Touchbase Care (Folkestone) and national support groups online. We combined these testimonies into the story of one traveller, Natasha.
The interviewees were asked to describe the effect sound had on their experience of train travel. The score mimics the soundscape of St Pancras, organically situating the piece in the station’s environment. As the narrative unfolds, the sounds intensify and distort in sympathy with the protagonist’s perceptions, allowing the audience to perceive Natasha’s surroundings through her eyes and ears.
Outside of opera, what is your preferred form of art? Is there anything you’re looking forward to?
I am a big fan of contemporary dance and am looking forward to seeing Lost Dog’s ‘A Tale of Two Cities’ in March at The Place. They tackle big themes with humour and intelligence. I am currently exploring works which use VR and AR and looking at how these technologies and gaming systems could be applied to opera to make immersive experiences which have audiences taking part in the action rather than being passive consumers.
Who are you hoping to inspire?
I am hoping to inspire new audiences to think that opera has something for them and to encourage other women to tell their own stories through opera.
What would you like to get out of this project?
I would like to cultivate a relationship with the ROH which leads to collaborations in the future. To continue to use the support of the Engender programme to build alliances with other women and diverse creatives. On a larger scale I would like ‘The Hardest Journey’ to create a better understanding of womens’ experience of neurodivergence and contribute to the creation of a less ableist society.
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You can see the premiere of micro-opera 'The Hardest Journey' on Tuesday 8th March 2022.
To celebrate International Women’s Day 2022, The Royal Opera presents a series of pop-up performances created by women composer and librettist teams.
Drop in to London’s iconic railway station, St Pancras International, to watch brand new opera commissions sung by rising stars of the opera world and accompanied by musicians from Belgium’s Casco Phil chamber orchestra.
There is a rolling programme of seven short operas popping-up all over the station from 10.45am to 5pm. 'The Hardest Journey' will be performed on the first floor by the huge statue of a couple at around 12.35pm and during the mid afternoon about 3.30pm but the times are very fluid (I guess that's the point of a pop-up).
https://www.roh.org.uk/tickets-and-events/lost-and-found-details